Errors stymie Windows 8.1 updates on some devices

Microsoft customers have been plagued with problems that have foiled attempts to install the Windows 8.1 update, according to widespread reports on the company's support forums.

From Computerworld:

While the situation on traditional PCs and Windows 8-powered tablets has not prompted Microsoft to yank the update -- as it did Friday with the one designed for Windows RT -- they have frustrated users' efforts and gotten a few angry enough to swear off Windows 8.1.

Customers saw a variety of cryptic error messages, but most reports about the sequence of events were similar: After the update has downloaded and was being installed, at some point the PC or tablet spontaneously restarted with an error message. The update then tried to recover but failed a second time -- or went through that cycle several times -- before restoring the system to Windows 8.